| Press Enterprise Online

Motorcyclist crashes, is flown to GMC

EVANSVILLE -- Police aren't sure how an unhelmeted 49-year-old man drove his motorcycle off Bogart's Hill Road here Tuesday afternoon, injuring himself badly enough that he had to be flown to a hospital. The man, who police identified as Gerald Vezendy, appeared to be headed east on his Honda Shadow motorcycle when somehow he lost control around 1:15 p.m., on the road just off Evansville Road, north of the village. His motorcycle ended up on its side with its wheels in a roadside ditch.

Driver charged in Main Street pedestrian hit-run

BLOOMSBURG -- Police have charged a local man in a hit-and-run accident that injured a woman on Main Street last Friday, and they've issued a warrant for his arrest. Randall Scott Francis, 20, of 199 Oman Road, Bloomsburg, was driving a dark blue Acura Integra that struck Paula Brooking, 35, as she crossed East Main Street at Iron Street around 4:30 p.m., police said.

What we're working on for April 9

Here's a look at the stories that have our reporters and photographers busy on Monday: * A driver hops out of a moving pickup truck in an effort to avoid police officers giving chase. See what we have on the story so far. * Police in one local community say they will respond to calls about dangerous dogs, and they will use their firearms if they have to. Susan Schwartz has the story.

Police: Chase suspect jumped out of moving truck, ran

BERWICK -- A Berwick driver trying to elude police hopped out of his still-moving pickup truck and began running away on East Front Street, police say. William A. Christensen, 43, of 508 W. Front St., was apprehended by Officer Scott Sienkiewicz as Christensen hid in some bushes just before 2 a.m. Sunday. He had led police on a chase through several Berwick streets and through a number of stop signs before he abandoned the Chevrolet truck and fled on foot, police said.

Car strikes pedestrian, flees

BLOOMSBURG -- Police are looking for the driver who struck a woman crossing Main Street Friday afternoon and took off. The hit-and-run pedestrian crash happened about 4:30 p.m. on East Main Street at Iron Street. A witness indicated that the woman was crossing Main Street when the light for traffic turned green, police said. The driver of a dark blue Acura Integra accelerated when the woman was in front of his car and struck her on the right side, said police. Police had not yet identified the woman but said she is a local resident in her late 20s.

Smoky conditions explained

A controlled burn at Fort Indiantown Gap sent clouds of smoke wafting through the air as far north as Danville and Bloomsburg Thursday evening, officials say. Reports from Lebanon County said the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs' Forestry Department has begun a series of springtime burns to reduce the risk of wildfire by setting fire to 3,000 to 4,000 acres over several weeks. Thursday's burn covered at least 500 acres, according to officials at Columbia County's 9-1-1 center.

Judge orders no-show jurors to explain themselves

DANVILLE -- About a half dozen people who skipped jury duty without valid excuses were called before a judge Thursday to explain themselves. All were made to stand before the bench and tell Judge Gary E. Norton why they should not be held in contempt and face possible fines or other sanctions. And although some people griped about losing a day's work for the sake of a $9 check paid to jurors, all were ordered to return next week when at least two more juries will be chosen to hear pending medical malpractice lawsuits against Geisinger Medical Center.

What we're working on for April 3

Here's a look at some of the stories our reporters are busy with Tuesday: * Two former BU field hockey players are sentenced to jail for the beating of another young woman. Read what we have so far and look for more from courts reporter Leon Bogdan. * Work is underway to renovate a once-popular downtown bar/restaurant. Reporter Pete Kendron and photographer Jimmy May will give you a look inside.

Field hockey players will get jail for beating

BLOOMSBURG -- Two former Bloomsburg University field hockey players were sentenced to short stays in prison for the October 2011 beating of another young woman downtown. Lauren McGinley will serve 10 days in a county lockup for the attack on Ashley Carsia on East Second Street near the police station in the early morning hours. Fellow former Husky teammate Nicole Bruce will spend three days in jail for the attack, a judge ordered Tuesday.

What we're working on for April 2

Here's a look at what are reporters are busy with Monday: * A seven-time DUI offender gets a prison sentence for a wreck that killed a woman. Read what we have so far and look for reporter Julye Wemple's full story Tuesday. * A Berwick native who went on to business success is presumed dead in a plane crash. Mike Lester is tracking down details.